As the significant silence grows, Robin's brow furrows.  No counter-sign from Totter, no horn-blowing, no arrows.  Oh, she doesn't like the feel of this.
            Despite herself, her eyes flicker to the Arcadian -- to find him glancing her way.  Robin does her best to stifle the annoying flush the eye-contact brings to her tanned face.  Her mouth turns down in a frown, but it's obvious from Adonis' glance that he isn't either responsible or pleased about this turn of events.  *And* that he's aware it's going down.
            As she mulls over things over, the girl quickly cleans and sheathes her sword, gathers up the knife she threw to Adonis' and kicks the other one, the hot one from inside the horse's eye-socket, into the nearby chasm.

Adonis has business of his own. In order, he needs to tend to Luke, the riderless horses, their downed riders and then these rangers. Luke is hopefully made comfortable and removed from imminent death (thru medical means, we can't predict the prognosis if any new threats appear.)

(That about sums up what Avid has done.)

If Adonis has any thoughts that it might have been better if he'd beaten Avid to tending Luke, he doesn't let them show. As the equine carcass reduces to ash, he crosses silently to Avid. He loiters a couple of yards away, without Avid noticing. One of the other rangers might think he was sniffing the slight breeze blowing across the glade.
            After a few seconds, he steps forward and gently touches Avid's shoulder. "Thank you, ranger! Avid, isn't it? You have been most kind and I shall not be ungrateful but I must tend to him now." He seems to give the ranger a cursory glance over his face and clothing before observing, more loudly, in a voice that sounds incredibly like a more youthful version of his father, "It is unhygenic to wear the blood of our fallen foes overly long. We should all wash before disposing of the ashes."

Robin cocks her head at the sound of Adonis' voice, an unconscious smile coming to her lips.  And she nods to herself, remembering her father's insistence that they scrub after dealing with the Girth-thing.  She had just been hoping to get a little distance between their current exposed position and, hopefully, to a water source before she and several members of her team -- not to mention Nature Boy -- developed a bad case of Dragon Infection.
            Though why he was worrying about ashes, the girl ticks her tongue in irritation.  Ah well, if his companion was going to anchor them to this spot for a while, ash removal *did* become an issue, she supposed.

"Yes, sir," says Avid.

After gesturing Rain and Levet to watch duty, Robin moves over to look down into the chasm.  After all, the last time she met this thing, there was a stream in the bottom of it.  (OOC - she's looking to see if there is still water in the ravine.  If so how much, how far away and how easy to get to.  :)

(There is water, but it's not still. :)  And it's pretty far down.  Call it a 20 minute climb, at best, down the side of a scrub-covered gorge.)

Adonis lets Avid move away, throws a glance at Robin to make sure she heard him talking to her subordinate and then leans over Luke, staring deeply into his eyes for some time.

Luke's eyes are normal, evenly dilated, and show no sign of possession.  But he does not awaken.

Adonis leaves him comfortable and gets on with other matters.

Once he's safe, Adonis turns his attention to the horses: he smoothes their muzzles, whispers in their ears and sets them at ease. They seem to come out of whatever trance-state they were in and Adonis sets them cantering for the woods of Arcadia.

The horses start, but turn when they reach the edge of the clearing, they move along the border for a bit, and then stop, confused.

Adonis' eyes narrow. After a minute, he whistles and clicks, again in a manner similar to Julian summoning horse and hounds. (He's calling them back by purely mundane means. There's no point leaving the poor things wandering around lost.)

The horses return to Adonis, and wait calmly near him.

As the sound of the hoof beats changes, Robin looks up and, after watching the animals for a moment, the frown on her face gets even deeper.  Her eyes flicker momentarily as possibilities wing through her mind.

He hasn't got around to the men on the ground, yet. Although a casual glance might make anyone think he's ignoring the rangers, a careful scrutiny would probably reveal he's been observing the leader closely whenever he has a chance to do so while she's not looking.
            He's also waiting for the nymph in the woods to make an appearance. He's sure she will.

(Since Adonis is an expert in women, I think he'd notice this.)
            The Ranger leader is most definitely in heat.  Bloodlust has changed to just plain old lust.  Her blood is running hot and, though she is being very careful with wind direction, her sweat carries the scent of need.  The way she is gesturing... her clothing has become uncomfortable to her.  But she is most definitely shying away from Adonis.  Hard.

Funny, that.  Robin notices that the blood of the horse that's on her clothing and skin is beginning to make her itch.

Adonis, clearly troubled, approaches the young girl. By now he's pretty sure she's close family. He's also aware she's responding strongly to his Godhead but as he needs her to be thinking clearly he does his best not to inflame her already aroused passions. He comes close and drops his voice, he wants only her to hear.
            "Ranger Robin! We may still be in some danger. I was expecting someone, a relative, to emerge from the trees once it was safe; that she has not done so would indicate the danger remains. Furthermore,  something has changed this place and the path I took to get here is closed; I think your archer has been separated from us, as have the hornblowers." He pauses and his eyes drift to where one of her hands scratches a blood-spot on an arm before continuing in a tone that lends considerable urgency to his mundane suggestion. "And I think we should all wash...thoroughly!" He sighs deeply - he just *knows* this is going to be taken the wrong way. "You should burn your clothes."

Robin shivers as she feels Adonis' approach and takes several quick deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.  This is *so* not the time for this!  Dammit!  A rueful chuckle shakes her frame.  Succubus hunt.  Riiiiight.
            When Adonis begins speaking, Robin looks up from her inspection of the ravine.
            "I agree."  She says matter-of-factly.  "I'm not going to be able to hold this ground.  You've got a man down.  I've got one missing and at least two more in serious danger from... well, stuff."  She pats her arm where she was scratching it when Adonis came over.  "I need to pull out.  And I want to pull out back to Arden."
            The Ranger licks her lips as the 'commander' falls away from her attitude.  But while the lust is still there, swirling in the rush of her blood, it is something else fond and hopeful that is in her voice when she asks, "Will you come with us?  Please?"

Adonis regards her steadily, impassively; his expression giving nothing away. Then he surveys the glade, paying particular attention to Luke, Avid and the equine pyre steadily burning down. Robin might wonder if thinking isn't his strong point, or then she might think he's trying to find a tactful way of saying something she probably doesn't want to hear. What he actually says is...
            "I have... responsibilities. What has happened in this place - is still happening - would seem to be as yet unknown in Arcadia, or I would have been warned err I left. My first concern has to be bringing warning of these events to the Goddess Artemis. Forgive me, perhaps you have heard of her? I am her son, Adonis." He offers his hand in formal greeting.

Robin's right upper arm flexes to lift her hand, but the forearm and hand itself respond only sluggishly.  With an embarrassed grimace, the girl shakes her head.  There's things on her gauntlet right now that she doesn't want to pass, even if Adonis' hands are already blood-soaked from the same encounter.

More than blood-soaked, his palms show masses of tiny hairs-width lacerations, though the blood is already dried.
            He doesn't so much as shrug but his eyebrow rises in that subtle way, so like his father, possibly indicating mild surprise at the refusal mingled with even more mild disappointment.

"Though the way be closed, yet I must try to find my way back. It is a matter of duty, you understand."

Something green flickers in the back of Robin's eyes, another of those conflicted mess of emotions that only she is capable of.

Noting her disappointment, he continues hurriedly. "However, if, as I suspect, the way is closed, then I will need somewhere else to go and I do have business in Arden." He pauses, as if an idea is just occurring to him. "But I wonder, if you were to accompany me, if the way is open, or may be opened, to Arcadia, then it might prove fruitful to us all if you were to meet the Goddess, she would wish to thank you for helping me in need,...but if it should prove the way cannot be opened, then of course I would gladly accompany you to Arden. Does this seem
reasonable?"

"Uh, Adonis?  It's not time to be reasonable.  It's time to run like hell.  What happened here isn't over.  We're still in the trap and it's teeth are closing."  Robin looks at him with concern in her eyes.  "If they haven't closed already."

The word 'reasonable' brings the flash of an amused smile to his face, almost a smirk. It's possible that it's just occurred to him that 'reasonable' is rarely included in Robin's vocabulary. But then the smile fades as she continues.

The Ranger starts striding over to where Luke lies, at the same time reaching awkwardly into a breast pocket with her left hand.  "I think this... place is being cut off from the rest of the Ways by a *very* powerful being who would like *nothing* better than to dangle my crispy body in front of my father.  And, I suspect, might like to do the same with yours.  We need to get out of here.  Now. We can deal with meetings and warnings and whatever later."  She flashes the Godling a rueful grimace.

He walks with her. As she pauses, he comments almost to himself, "No, fathers don't like to see such things." With her glance, she catches what quite a few of the family have already experienced; that intensive dark stare observing her closely, looking into her soul.

Ah, dung!  Robin blushes and lets her eyes skitter away from Adonis' stare.  The girl has never been comfortable with strangers, especially related strangers, observing her closely.  For the rest of her conversation, she involves her gaze with the workings of her pocket.

Most members of the family who have shown discomfort under that gaze have found Adonis tones it down in response but for Robin there is no relenting. There's something about her he finds intensely fascinating.

 [BTW, Hivemind, he's now had a chance to observe her closely for a while. Daeon has never forgotten any of his past liaisons; he's been noting Robin's size and build, her face, manner and personality.  This may seem a little on the nose but does she remind him of any of his past conquests?]

[In bits and pieces.  Strong, Fast, and Sexy, like Paige.  A Ranger like (um, dozens), Death with a sword, like Lilly.  But no standout full-on matches.]

"Unfortunately, the only place I think I can manage a fast team withdrawal to is Arden.  If you think you can pull for Arcadia, terrific.  But you only got about 30 seconds to make it happen.  And are you going to be able to take your man with you?  Get us to a spring or sacred pool within, say 5 minutes or so?"
            Robin fishes out a small wooden card case and flips it open with the thumb of her left hand.  Once the case is open, she lifts her left gauntlet toward her mouth, obviously intending to remove it with her teeth.  And gazes back to her brother the stranger.

As she raises her hand, Adonis reaches forward with surprising quickness to keep her hand from her mouth. "If unfit to touch another, then surely it is unfit to enter your mouth."

"Oh, yeah.  Good call."  Robin looks a little surprised that she didn't think of it.  Still not the most hygienic Ranger in the woods, she thinks to herself.  The girl carefully tucks the card case under her right arm, the tongue lashed and not-so-mobile one, before holding her left hand out toward Adonis.  Not without some trepidation.

He quickly reverses his hand and deftly removes her gauntlet himself, tossing it toward the pyre.

When Adonis touches her, a full body shake ruffles through the girl.  Dammit!  Dammit! Robin mentally chastises herself.  This is so not the time.  And so not the man.

"It's your life, Adonis.  Truly.  And your choice.  Though I'd rather not leave you here with what's slithering our way.  And...." the girl gets that same look like she's going to say something she doesn't want to.  "well... Dad is worried sick about you."

"Yes! He usually is..." He looks her up and down, almost as if undressing her with his eyes, but then seems to lose himself in thought.

Robin fights to stay still under that gaze.  She has a wild thing's aversion to scrutiny.  But she won't let herself break or shy away when so much is on the line.

Abruptly, he looks up and asks quietly but forcefully, "Robin, why are you here?" Something about his manner tells her this is not quite the non-sequitur it seems, and his decision may depend heavily on her answer.

The horse is still burning, although it seems to be almost burnt out, as if the act of possessing it consumed much of the mass of the creature.

"I came to find those who were lost."  She answers honestly and simply.
            "One of my men, name of Breeze, may have been coerced or charmed away from his companions.  I came to find him.  Ask him if he truly wished to leave us.  Or to see if someone had been messing with his head."  Robin's eyes narrow briefly and a spark of green anger ignites there.

Adonis looks toward the pyre, glances up at the sun and then back to Robin in a mannerism that might be the Neolithic equivalent of glancing at your wristwatch. If the name 'Breeze' means anything to him, he doesn't reveal it.

But when she looks back to Adonis, that anger flitters away to concern.  "But I also gotta say that... well, my heart may have turned my steps some.  Because I did hope that I would find you as well.  If for no other reason than to tell Dad that you were... okay."  She finishes with an off-hand shrug, a flat smile and a sad little shake of her head.  There's no right or wrong in this one, no good or bad.  Robin wishes her father and brothers would get along, but she's not about to enforce anything.  On anyone.

"Pater knew I was with Mater and was therefore safer than anywhere else.  But now others are missing." He nods, having come to a decision, and smiles warmly. "Of course, at some point I will have to talk to her, but perhaps this time is not now. Yes! Robin! I would gladly come with you..."

Robin's face lights up with a great glowing smile...

And Adonis' eyes sparkle back in return.

"but there are conditions: we must succour *all* the wounded for we cannot leave them to She who may come here; and..."

... and then darkens.

He breaks off, as if he's having difficulty finding the right words.  When he continues, he drops his voice to a murmur, almost as if he's embarrassed.
            "There is a chance that Pater may attempt to prevent my returning to Arcadia. I would hope I am wrong but the possibility cannot be overlooked. You know, at times, he can be...overly protective? Would you give me your word to help me to return when I ask you, even should it mean my death? It will be soon."

Those green eyes look at Adonis for a moment, a myriad of thoughts and emotions swimming, diving, burning and flaring therein.  Then one eyebrow lifts.  And Robin says quite distinctly.  "No."

Robin's reply puts no dint in the warmth of Adonis's smile.

She drops her gaze to pull the card case from under her other arm.  "Gotta admit, though.  If I was in your skin, I'd try that one too."  She chuckles wryly.  "But the answer's still no."
            The Ranger talks to Adonis though she is looking down at the open leaves.  Her left thumb comes to rest on a card bearing a brilliant illustration of Julian.
            "Horsies and little wounded men won't matter squat compared to the carnage that'll eat this section of the universe if I let myself get captured by the Dragon.  So no, they don't come first.  And no.  I won't promise to betray my Prince, Warden and Father just because you want me to."
            "Like I said Adonis.  It's your choice, your life.  But our time is running out here.  And we gotta get out of the rain."  She finishes with a wry twist to one side of her mouth as she concentrates on the pristine cold white image of her father.

"Yes!" He replies cryptically, still regarding her radiantly.

The card is cold, but there is no stirring of contact, as if Julian were far in shadow.

"Dung."  Robin curses under her breath.  Then she chuckles grimly.  "Getting wise to my tricks, are we?"
            Shifting her thumb over, the Ranger concentrates on the second card in her case.  The face of a dark quiet man, a visage that hides a sense of humor the girl finds entirely agreeable, stares up at her from the other leaf of her card case.

This card, too, is cold, but there is no stirring.

As she trumps his father, Adonis visually checks the pyre, the sun and Avid once more then, still smiling kindly, he turns to minister to the fallen riders, taking care to divest them of any weapons before tending their wounds. Most are suffering from broken limbs but there's at least one concussion and one probable broken back (whom he will kill painlessly rather than allow him to be gribbled). He's working out how to make them comfortable and how many litters he needs to make to move them. He's assuming Robin will at least take Luke so he doesn't check him until he's seen to the rest.
            But he suspects Robin will be talking to Julian long before that and he keeps an ear open on her side of the conversation.

Adonis hears all but says nothing. However, realizing the situation is getting more pressing, he works faster. He's no longer smiling.
            He's also working out possible avenues of conversation with 'grandmother'.
            [The way he's looking at things, it's probably not possible to avoid her now. When she catches up, on past performance she'll probably try to eat or consume him and Robin in some way. If she does this, they probably can't stop her. OTOH, if by any chance she wants to talk or gloat before dinner, then there's nothing to be lost in trying to say something that might change her mind.
            Also, since Artemis was pretty downbeat about the chances of beating
just her sister, Sister + grandmother seem insuperable odds, and from what Adonis knows of Julian and has seen of his cousins, most recently Robin, he'll get no help there at all. That being the case, the only possible way to come out of this draconic conflict with the things he loves intact is to come to a negotiated solution. As he recently told Robin, he'll probably have to talk to 'grandmother' in the end but he wasn't planning on 'now' until Robin refused his caveats. Now he has little choice as he's not about to leave these wounded to her tender mercies.
            He believes the chances of this succeeding are almost, but not quite, zero but until a better plan presents itself or everyone suddenly undergo personality transplants, he sees no options.   
            Sorry! He's got nothing to add to game advancement ATM so I thought I'd
offer some sort of OOC explanation for what might otherwise seem very self destructive behaviour. :-)]

Robin folds up the card case with a disgusted snort and shoves it back into her pocket rather... forcibly.
            Looking around, the girl chews on her bottom lip as she thinks.  Her eyes happen to stroll past Adonis just as he's bending to tend to one of the fallen, giving the Ranger a fine view of tight and tanned ass.  Robin blinks rapidly a couple of times as her pulse rate leaps even higher.
            Dammit!  That's enough of that!  If she's going to be constantly flaring with energy and passion, then there's better ways to use it instead of desperately wishing she was with Vere.
            With a soft growl, the Ranger begins pacing.  And with the pacing, she begins to fan the fires of her heart instead of repressing them.  Along with those fires, Robin calls to herself the blue fire of her heritage.  Remembering her walks, knowing herself to be scion of Amber, a scion of power, and an Initiate of the Pattern.
            And as an Initiate, what she walks upon, she makes her own.  And what is her own, she knows.
            (OOC - Robin's going to try to use Pattern to take control of this bit of Shadow.)

It's... odd.  It remind Robin somehow of being in a pocket shadow, but not.  There's definitely something odd going on here.  It's as if the shadow consists of this clearing and the gorge and doesn't extend more than 3 feet into the surrounding woods.

Adonis, aware that her attempt to trump his father has failed, has nothing to say on the matter but he still intends to move out when his charges can be brought into a state where this is possible.
            Every once in a while, he casts a surreptitious glance at Avid: what is he doing? And is he showing signs of irritation from the horse/dragon blood on him and the wounds on his face?

Avid is rubbing his arm.

(But not his face?)

(nope, not his face.)

The pyre has completely burned out and is not only not smoldering, but doesn't seem warm.  The pile of ashes is remarkably small for the remains of all that has been burned there.  There seems to be a little vortex of dust and ashes blowing around the remnants.

"Hunh."  The Ranger breathes out.  And turning, looks back for the bridge and extends her senses back along the path that she and others took to get to this place.  A path that was laced with the power of heritage.
            Out of a corner of her eye, the girl catches a glimpse of the wind swirls and Adonis' efforts to deal with the ashes.  But since it looks like Nature Boy might have that under control, Robin doesn't chip in on that front at this time.

Robin's father has spoken of pocket shadows, places that are not complete, where the Universe is a small place and extends perhaps as far as the observer can see.
             This really doesn't seem like such a place.  It does remind Robin of the  Black Road: It is not that there is something blocking her, but somehow conditions are different beyond the clearing and her grasp on the powers is insufficient to act on them at that distance.

Adonis clucks in irritation as he breaks off his first aid duties and regards the ashes. Then he looks around for a plant with *very* large, broad leaves, similar to a banana tree, for example.
            [Assuming he finds such a thing - if not, I can't think of a way to dispose of the ashes unless we pick them up by hand, unless the rangers have shovels but Adonis doesn't know that]
             Adonis asks Avid to help him and together the ashes are thrown into the gorge after Adonis has wet them to make them more handleable. [He'll urinate on them if there's no other alternative.]

We'll gloss that part and just say Adonis wets them and between some broad leaves and the blade of Avid's hand-axe, gathers and dumps all the ashes over the cliff-side into the gorge.
            After Adonis and Avid complete this task, Totter steps out of the woods with a tall, beautiful woman, the same one Robin glimpsed in a tree before.  She addresses Adonis.  "Thank you, son of my sister.  I could not show myself to be helping you in the face of your grandmother's displeasure, but I have protected this place from the approaching outsiders.  I am Arianrhod."

Adonis moves toward her obliquely, not exactly as if wary of her.  Someone with a slightly suspicious outlook and a grasp of spatial awareness might surmise he was trying to keep Avid in the corner of his eye as he salutes his newfound aunt.
            "Khairetiosmoi Arianrhod! [Greetings, Arianrhod!]"  he replies formally in Arcadian before switching to Thari for the benefit of Robin. "We thank you for your aid at this time. I have but recently met another of Mater's sisters and am pleased to make acquaintance of another of our pantheon, even leaving aside our current circumstances." If he's wondering how many more aunts are going to crawl out of the woodwork, he gives no sign of it.
            He gestures down into the gorge. "I was unaware that grandmother bore us any enmity; Mater has always spoken of Leto with some affection."

"Would that your grandmother were still Leto, you would be safer.  But she has taken on an aspect less favorable to Artemisi.  Your mother had thwarted your grandmother's will for some time, and it has only recently come to light.
            "War comes to Arcadia, and will spill out to the detriment of the people of Arden.  I led these Rangers away from the approach of Maeneds who were under the influence of your mother's sister Calliste."

Adonis' eyes narrow. Presumably this is news of the bad variety.

She looks at him, and her eyes are piercing.  "For all that your mother took unfair advantage of a situation, I fear the Callistae will destroy our heritage in her quest for justice."

Robin's head snaps around as she hears the sound of footsteps entering the clearing, but there is no disguising the pleasure and relief that light her eyes at the sight of Totter.  The Ranger flashes a quick status-check signal to her friend.
            As the woman speaks to Adonis, Robin mentally upgrades Arianrhod in her own mind from 'dryad-thing' to 'play nice with' and she nods in respectful acknowledgement of the Goddess' presence.  Arianrhod's words though, they bring a thoughtful gaze to Robin's eyes as she looks around the clearing again.
            Hunh.  If this clearing is all the 'protected' space they have, then Robin better use it well.  She starts calculating the water she and her fellows are carrying in their canteens and how much Dragon spore they can wash off with it.  Otherwise, while still paying attention, she lets the Arcadians carry on their greeting rituals without butting in.

Water rations are tight, unless the enemies fallen have some.

Right!  Well, what one has is what one has.  With a couple of finger flickers, Robin stands Totter and Rain to guard and asks Levet and Avid to gather up what canteens they can find.
            Keeping her eyes on Arianrhod and Adonis, Robin slips her canteen off its belt hook and, holding it under one arm, begins stripping the gauntlet off of her numb arm.

Robin's arm is quite tender but does not seem to have taken more damage than severe bruising.  At a guess, it will be better not to use the hand for a few days.  Robin will just have to fight with her off hand for a bit.

Adonis seems to be paying the rangers little attention, though somehow, even as he muses thoughtfully, they're never out of the corner of his eye. After spending some time gazing at the ground in introspective thought...
            "Do the Titanoi still dream of war against the Olympians?" he asks, rhetorically, "Or is this something personal?" He shrugs." Whatever! Mater is of dual heritage and has ever kept aloof from the politics of Olympus since her sundering from the Skyfather. That Lil...Leto has allied herself with...Calliste grieves me but I know of no reason for it. Neither am I aware of any 'situation' or advantage taken thereof.  Perhaps you may enlighten my ignorance?"

[Just so you know, Adonis regards Leto as a member of the Titans, a more ancient bunch of gods duffed over and partially assimilated by the 'Olympians' led by Zeus/Dyaus [?Finndo?], AKA the Skyfather. As Artemis, and presumably her sisters, were born of the union of Zeus and Leto, they can all rightly be regarded as 'dual heritage', ditto their brother, Apollo, but unlike the other 2 of the pantheon that Daeon has met, Thanatos and Dionysos, who are both pure Olympians. How this links in with Amber, et al, is anyone's guess.
            Of course, if Calliste and Arianrhod were not fathered by Zeus/Dyaus, then they might be of pure Titan blood, though it's hard to be sure as Leto certainly put herself about in all her aspects.
            He is aware of some of Leto's other aspects and almost mentioned the one he thought might be the 'aspect less favorable' but then reverted to the technically incorrect 'Leto' to a) maintain the overall Grecian aesthetic of the conversation and b) avoid the risk of calling this aspect by name in case she paid a visit.
            Since Adonis has never met any of Artemis' sisters aside from Calliste and has only just heard even her name for the first time, he has no way of knowing if Arianrhod understands all this but his near slip over Leto's name was a deliberate
signal of his suspicions.]

The woman who calls herself Daeon's aunt sit cross-legged on the ground.

Adonis remains standing. Something tells him it's not the time to get comfortable. Seemingly struck by some vague paranoia, he suddenly glances around the glade, both at ground and tree level. Robin may briefly note the similarity to some wild animal. He listens for a second and sniffs the air before returning his attention to Arianrhod. [I assume he hears or sees nothing to either allay or confirm his fears.]

[nope]

"It is complex, son of my sister.  Arcadia was once a wilder place than it is now, and in those days your mother's mother and your father warred incessantly.  You and your sister changed the balance, and a new equilibrium was established, with your mother's mother entering a less-active stage and my sisters and I being barred from Arcadia.
        "Not all of my sisters took this well.  And your sister's death again altered the balance."

Adonis gives no sign of having noted the use of the plural. He regards his aunt thoughtfully. "Arianrhod, my aunt! I have no way of knowing the truth of what you say; I am old but far from ancient and you speak of matters before my time. If you have been kept from anything that is rightfully yours then I sorrow but there is little I can do to rectify the hurt. As I understand these things, my mother and I are battling to save our very existence.
            "I have dreamt of fire in the forest, vast sheets of flame. Forest fires are a fact of nature and trees may grow again; it may yet be better than many alternatives, from my experience of the last hour. But yet if you have anything to offer that may avert evil to all, please speak on."
            Adonis raises his voice for the latter, obviously intending the rangers to hear him clearly. Totter alone, as a veteran of the AEF, knows Adonis has heard the rangers speaking of the burning of Garnath and so knows that Adonis must understand how they feel about the thought of burning Arden.

Robin's lips cock in wry irony at the mention of dreams of fire, but at the same time her eyes go far away.  With a brief shiver, she brings herself back to the here and now.
            There comes the sound of fabric ripping as Robin tears of a less spattered sleeve.  Carefully conserving the water, she dampens the cloth and proceeds to quickly scrub as much of the horse's blood off of her exposed skin as possible.  She indicates for Levet and Avid to do the same.
            [I'm hoping that since Rain was on barbecue duty, she isn't spattered much or at all.]

As the Rangers scrub up, Arianrhod continues her conversation with Adonis.  She is observing their work, too, but makes no move to interfere. Instead, she takes up twigs and grass and begins weaving them together.
            "Your mother's quarrel with Calliste might be mortal, but I do not wish it to be so, nor do my other sisters. I will think on how to aid you in reconciling them, and you must think on how you might bring them back to sisterly love. But now I must leave, before my presence here is noted."

"If Calliste is the one I have met before, then I may know of one thing that might reconcile them." Without warning, Adonis switches into Arcadian. "Your sister's unborn children share with me a sire. She thinks they are a weapon but, like myself, their true natures may surprise their mother, and my own continued existence bought their conception so things may not go as she intends. Yet any reconciliation must depend on these goddesses willingness to accept each other and I have some doubts on this." He smiles apologetically, returning to Thari.
            "Gods are nothing if not dogmatic. But is not Leto the greater problem? Are not she and Calliste allied in this?"

She looks to Adonis and then to Robin. "I will leave you with a token by which you can contact me as long as you are within the great forest. Which of you would bear it?"

Adonis doesn't hesitate a second: "I must bear it for now!" He says in Arcadian. Something about how quickly he speaks might tell a highish water that he doubts Robin is at all the right person to carry such a thing - for *many* reasons.

At Adonis outburst in Arcadian, one green eye peaks over the now-rag toward Arianrhod.  With a casual toss, Robin send the sleeve chasm-ward and strolls the few feet to where the Arcadians are talking.
            "Ma'am." She says with a polite nod before lowering herself to rest in a casual crouch, one knee on the ground, her eyes even in height with Arianrhod's.  "Thank you for the warnings and the..."  Robin gestures around the grove, unsure exactly what to call the havening of the place.  A wry smile dances across her lips.
            "And I sure don't want to keep you if She is sniffing around.  But if you have the time for two questions, I'd appreciate it.  One, do you know the mechanism for your mother's... displeasure?  And how I can safeguard my men from it?  And two, when Artemis invaded Arden to retrieve her son," the Ranger nods toward Adonis, "the Maenads that followed her -- were they backing her up?  Or hunting her?"

"She awakens and the forest, even the outer forest, will be a more dangerous place while she is active.
            "Of the second I have no knowledge, but presume the former, for her children can wield some of the power of the dragon with no regard to the wishes of our mother.   If it was not very recent, it might also have been before she awoke."

"As for bearing this," Robin gestures to the weaving, "I guess, we have to decide right now, Adonis." 
            Those green eyes look up at the Arcadian and soften somewhat.  She stands dusting her thighs off.  "Look, mon frere, I... we're" she gestures toward the other Rangers, "in dangerous hostile territory here.  I don't have the time or the luxury to do a whole lot of negotiating and explaining.  I would *really* like it if you stayed with us.  We could certainly use a native guide.  And I would... like to get to know you."  A brief sparkle of laughter runs through the girl's eyes.
            "But I *can't* do things your way here.  I just can't."

Adonis' eyes also sparkle in answer to hers and a smile just glimmers, which remains even as Robin's fades.

Robin's gaze drop to the grass sadly.  "Too much is on the line.

Her gaze comes back up sharp and clear.  "So if we stay together, I make the calls.  Though, I pro-*" Robin chokes briefly on the word, she still can't use it, "I'll listen and I'll do what I can to meet your priorities.  I will."
            "Either way," Robin holds her hand out to Arianrhod for the token, "I figure I'm easier for you to find in here, Adonis, than the other way around."  She finished with wry half-smile.  She's obviously not used to that.

"I am the elder, Robin. You forget yourself." Adonis' face and voice are utterly emotionless. For a brief moment he sounds exactly like his father. But then his voice softens just enough to indicate a trace of wistfulness. "I also would wish to go with you but you make it clear with every word that this cannot be. Your first loyalties are to Arden and its warden, which is as it should be, but I must balance my loyalties to both my father and my mother. Until you show some capability of acceptance of things other than as you would have them, we cannot walk the same path and it would be dangerous to both of us to try.
            "I will not leave wounded here to face our opponents, whatever their crimes and we have no evidence that they are guilty of anything more than being in the way of the Gods. We have seen what my grandmother can do to horses and I suspect she can do the same to men. I would not wish that fate upon them; neither would I want to face them in battle after. So I will do what I can to provide succour, even should all efforts be doomed to failure.
            "As to this token: its purpose is to serve as an artifact of liaison between my aunt, here, and her sisters. Can you honestly tell me you intend to speak with Artemis with all dispatch? Or with Calliste at all? Will you swear this on the love you bear my father? You whom, unless I am mistaken, have never set foot in Arcadia? I know you, Robin; I might be wrong but I doubt that you are my sister, and I do not think it a good thing, for anyone, that you have this. Am I understood?"

Arianrhod watches the exchange, but says nothing.

Green fire flares behind Robin's eyes and her left fist clenches.  The girl flushes red and practically vibrates with anger for a split second.  Then her nostrils flare as she gulps a huge breath of air into her lungs and she visibly struggles to calm down.
            "Oh yeah.  You're understood.  But I've got two -- no wait, three bits of intell for ya, Nature Boy.  #1 - Duh!  I'm not Dione.  Never have been, never will be, so you can just shove your 'eldest' right back up the hole it came from.  #2 - Since the token's is *Arianrhod's* -- *she's* probably the one that knows what it's for and at this point, it's obvious that *she's* going to be the one to choose *if* either of us carry it.  #3 - You are not *nearly* as telepathic as you think you are so why don't you just keep your f*cking tongue off of my loyalties, K?  Oh, and #4 - You are SO LIKE J'RIM it's f*cking hysterical.  'Cept *he's* more subtle.  And #5 - Since this is probably the worst possible time and place, I'll hold off.  But when we meet in calmer, happier times I am going to mop the floor with you!  Cause I'm not the solo stubborn idiot in this conversation.  You stubborn idiot!"
            "Excuse the outburst, ma'am."  Robin nods a little shamefacedly to Arianrhod.

Adonis isn't Julian, so despite his manful effort to control his emotions, the barest glimmer of an amused smile seeps to the surface, most notably at the 'f*cking tongue' phrase. [He's never studied Freud but he knows a slip when he hears one. ;-)]
            "It was not my intention to be subtle, Robin; under the circumstances, it seemed wiser. But I feel you are entirely correct in all your points, including those stated covertly. When times are happier and calmer, I hope you will be gentle with me for you are not the only one who would wish us better acquainted."
            His smile broadens and for a second Robin might think he's taking the mickey but there's no mockery in the tone of his voice and the smile is genuine. "But for the moment, I trust our disagreement will not prevent you conveying my love and respect to my father?"
            And though his eyes remain on Robin, Adonis is waiting for Arianrhod.

"H*ll NO!" She hisses, "I fully intend to tell him that you are healthy, happy, snotty, condescending and as much a dangerous idiotic twit as ever!  And now Mr. I-Know-Ever-So-Much-About-What's-Going-On I *do* have a man to see to.  And it ain't you, Center of the Universe-san."
            Robin mantles fiercely at Adonis, and then snorting turns away.  A series of gestures, made sharp and jerky by anger, tell her team to gather for travel.

Robin probably hears his sigh, but does not see the fond, if troubled, smile. Once she's well into organizing her people, he settles down on his haunches alongside Arianrhod and asks a question that is apparently worrying him. "I never met her before today; what do you make of her?"

She smiles, wanly.  "It pains me to see the contentiousness of another generation, son of my sister."  She holds out the woven bracelet to Adonis.

Adonis does take it - when he has time, he'll make a lanyard from grass, bark, etc, to sling it over his shoulder. He has no idea how it works but clearly assumes this will come naturally.

"She feels threatened," he observes quietly in Arcadian, "things may feel more comfortable when we know each other better."

She quickly weaves another in the same fashion.  "Cousin!", Arianrhod says, loudly.  "We will all have to leave quickly when I stop protecting this place.  I also have a token for you."

At Arianrhod's words, Adonis hurls himself back into preparing his charges for travel. He prepares an Indian litter for each from the surrounding woody materials, lashing branches together with strips of bark. Each man being lashed in place in a manner that best suits his injuries. Each litter is then attached to a horse. [I've a feeling that Adonis will be forced to kill the man with a broken back - this he will do using the vagus pressure point in his neck, a quick and probably least painful way to kill him. He doesn't want to but he can't be left for the Old Dragon.]

Robin looks back from where she was thinking about trails out into the forest beyond the shadow.  For a moment, a scurry of emotions flicker behind her eyes; surprise, wariness, embarrassment... but she walks back over to Arianrhod and accepts the token.  Gingerly she places it over her right wrist.
            "Uh, thank you, ma'am.  We're ready."  The girl drops her gaze moment.  "Didn't mean to hurt you, ma'am."  She murmurs to the ground in about as close to an apology as Robin can get.
            "Oh, and Adonis?"  Still talking to the ground.  "When you get done rescuing your enemies and balancing your loyalties, you... you might want to take a walk up to the Castle and have a talk with Paige.  'Cause," those green eyes peep over to her annoying aggravating brother, "it's *really really* important."

"Yes! It is!" He replies grimly. He stops work for a second as sudden thought strikes him and looks at the ranger questioningly. "Did Pater tell you to say that?" He sounds doubtful.

Robin's eyes wander up to the tree-tops, perhaps ever so slightly guiltily.  "Uh, Dad... doesn't know I'm here.  Well," she clarifies quickly as she looks back over to Adonis, "he probably knows by now.  But he didn't send me."

Adonis opens his mouth to say something, but then thinks better of it and returns to his work. He seems serious. Someone who knows him well might recognize the signs of hard thinking.

Arianrhod does not pay attention to their conversation, but says "Tell me when you are ready to depart, son of my sister.  You must leave this clearing posthaste when I release my concealment.  There will be a ... noticeable effect."

Knowing haste is of the essence, he hurries, but not to the point of cutting corners. Soon he's ready, two bridles in each hand, each horse pulling a litter bearing a wounded man strapped as comfortably as possible and following them 3 more horses lashed up to the front 4, each also with one litter.  The horses still bear all their tackle, including saddlebags. He glances to Robin to make sure they're ready and then nods to Arianrhod.
            His plan is to backtrack to Arcadia but his route will have to be more circuitous due to the litters being less able to accommodate tricky terrain.

As Adonis gets on with his work, Robin examines the forest/ravine border on both sides of the clearing.  There's a lot of Arcadia out there and one Ranger to find somewhere in it.  The girl figures her best bet might be to parallel the ravine for a while to see if she can pick up the 'wild men's' trail once more.  And if not that, at least maybe she can find a quick running stream that empties out into the river at it's base where she and her team can clean up.
            Either way, she figures no more distractions; no fun little tussels with mounted cavalry, no aggravating wing-binding brothers, no baby-snatching.  It's time -- and past time -- to go straight for the goal.

Arianrhod watches the proceedings and when everyone looks ready, she nods, raises her hands in the air and issues a great shout.  The light in the clearing flickers and the shadows seem odd and a moment later she says "it is broken.  Go, now!"  With three lithe steps she reaches the edge of the woods and leaps into the trees. She does not slow down but is soon out of sight.

With a click of the tongue and a silent prayer to Mum for a safe journey, Adonis leads 7 horses toward Arcadia.

Robin takes one step toward the upstream border between the forest and the chasm before she stops, quivering and red-faced with anger.  Oh-so-reluctantly her green eyes turn back towards where her idiot brother is leading seven litters one slow step at a time out of the clearing.  And into the area formerly occupied by mounted horn-blowing cavalry with supporting archery fire.
            "Shit.  Shit, shit, SHIT!"  She hisses to herself.  Her voice becomes harsh with frustration as she clips out a new set of suggestions.  "Rain, Levet.  See if you can take the back three.  Avid, Totter - wing.  Stay in sight."
             Feet pounding and face twisted in *extreme* irritation she overtakes Adonis.  "Not one *f*cking* word, Nature Boy!  Just point the direction you want me to push!"  Robin's got the power of her heritage burning along her veins and she's using it to hopefully avoid any big concentrations of aforementioned horn-blowing cavalry with supporting fire.

Adonis shows no sign of exertion, evidently the horses are doing all the pulling without his help and he's just holding the bridles to direct them. Without pausing a step or even giving her a glance, he shakes his head. "I have already said we will not walk together, Robin, and you have admitted that Pater has not given his permission for your presence here. You have insulted me grossly in front of my kin and before your people and continue to do so; Pater deservedly killed two of my relations for a like offence. You are not welcome in Arcadia at this time."
            Then, still without stopping, he turns that intensity of gaze upon her as a 'thought' occurs, dropping his voice so only she hears. "I do not recall giving my permission for your people to interfere with the traces. However, I appreciate the concern that lies behind this and I shall forget this further transgression if you will take some or all of the wounded and swear on the love you bare Arden's Warden that you will see them safely to Pater's camp in Arden. They will be safer there than in Arcadia."
            His eyebrow rises in invitation but something about his tone of voice and the set of his shoulders makes it clear he's expecting another tirade centered around the word 'no'.

The Ranger glares briefly, then chuckles grimly and shakes her head, in a very Robin-esque mix of negation, baffled astonishment, and perhaps some form of rueful enlightenment. 
            "You can say what you want, Nature Boy.  But you aren't the boss of me and where I walk.  Beeeeeccccaause, *Adonis*," there's a lot of sweet sarcasm on that, "until you pick up your stones and throw, you're just a Shadow God of a Shadow world to me.  And I don't answer to those.  You decide to 'balance your loyalties' a little less 99% mommy and 1% Pater, *then* maybe, I'll extend you Family courtesy.  And maybe then *you* can kick *my* ass."  She grins wickedly at him.  "But until such time, *I'm* the boss of me when we meet.  Every time."
            "Now *I*, for whatever stoooopid reason, happen to give a damn about you. And since you've claimed these..." she gestures back to the litters, "as part of you.  And they're binding your wings when you really, really need to fly, *I'm* taking an interest.  But I still don't care..." a thoughtful look goes through the girl's sparking green eyes, "Though I supposed you might want to ask one of the more conscious ones some pointed questions about how many friends they have out there and why they were pouncing on your man so dramatically.  'Course," she shrugs, "that'd be up to you.  Because they're *your* kill, not mine."
             "Fuuuurrrthermore.  Duh!  Of course, I'm not welcome in Arcadia.  From the moment I put my delicate little boot in here, I've been hunted by Maenads and visited with the Big D's displeasure.  Why do you think I'm ssssooooo eager to rush off to see your Mom and her sisters?  Who *knows* what kind of fun they have in mind for me?  But I'll bet you, it won't be 'negotiation.'"  She sings the last word sarcastically.
            "Brothers!" is Robin's final pronouncement as she pulls ahead into a forward point position.

Where she quickly finds she's walking by herself as Adonis brings all seven horses to a halt. It's not that easy to do this quickly, it takes a few yards and as many seconds but any driver should be impressed at his control. If any horses are untied, anyone trying to lead them finds they don't want to move.
    [Presuming at some point Robin turns around.]

And indeed she does.

Adonis wears an expression of serene patience as he fondles a horse's muzzle. He seems again to be thinking deeply. Once he sees her look his way...
            "Robin, I am not prepared to entertain a contest of wills. As you have observed, we are both stubborn and of limited intellect compared to our Elders and I am very much afraid my Grandmother will catch us if we tarry further. However, I am not prepared to walk any further with you.
            "I do not presume to tell you where to go but I cannot risk you entering Arcadia because of the damage you will do to my home and because I do not wish again to bring news to Pater of the death of a daughter; he cares deeply for all his children, but especially for his daughters and I am sure he sees you as such.
            "As to balance, I think you might best ask Pater his thoughts on the matter. For my part, I wish he had warned you against going *anywhere* near Arcadia. When I see him next I shall ask him to formally bar you from approaching the borders of my home.
            Adonis is suddenly genuinely distressed. "In Arcadia you would do *so* much damage before you were killed; my home is already vulnerable and I am sick of death. I do not want to see someone close to Pater and I needlessly slain; I will not be able to protect you as I would wish. There are things far worse than Maenads.
            He pulls himself together and once again is serenely unemotional.  "Arcadia is far from 'just' a 'shadow' and its fall will severely damage Arden, with which it is intimately linked. Furthermore, I may be just a poor 'shadow' god but I am also family and I think you will find Pater will agree that it is considered poor manners to enter the home shadow of one of our family when asked not to.
            "What you are doing now will most probably destroy Arcadia, my mother and myself. But it will also destroy you and is likely to hurt Arden and Pater. I suggest you consult him before proceeding further. He needs you with him to prevent Arcadia's imminent fall from overwhelming Arden. If you love him, you will not do this to him."

As Robin and Adonis have stood there arguing, a cool wind has started to pick up, coming from Arcadia. It is not abnormally or unseasonably cold, but noticeably cool.
            Avid signs to Robin, to get her attention. The hand signs say "old trail."

As the wind flows around her, Robin turns her head into the coiling breeze, an odd smile on her face, her glimmering eyes half-closed for a moment.  "Mmmm... death approaching," she murmurs to herself in a *very* quiet and almost sensuous whisper.

Adonis taughtens and looks into the breeze as the wind blows over him but at Robin's words drops his head and raises an eyebrow. Somehow the gesture conveys that he's at last sussed out something about the girl before him and he doesn't like it...at all!

"Huhn, Adonis." She blows her breath out as she looks back to her brother.  "You know?  You're almost sweet when you're not being a pompous git." There's a bright sparkle of fond humor to her eyes.  "Did you ever think that I might not want to carry word back to 'Pater' that I stood by and watched as my brother immolated himself uselessly before my eyes?”
            "K. Seriously?  Yeah, I know I'm a spark in the deadfall.   And while I may have my wings turned to a holocaust, I'll admit that other people might not want that and there's certainly no reason to trash Arcadia just 'cause I've got my panties in a bunch."  Robin shrugs regretfully, a flat line to her mouth.

Without really changing his expression of implacable dislike, a few rapid blinks might make someone not completely obtuse think he's having some trouble parsing idiomatic Thari.

Then Robin turns glimmering pleading eyes to the man with the horses.  "But please, Adonis, please.  What you have to... what I really, really wish I could get across to you is that you are a spark too.  Your presence and the presence of your children is unbalancing Arcadia's nature to the point of explosion.
            "And that's what I came here to try and, well... at least slow down.  Now maybe, just maybe, if you're fast and *stay on target* it's possible for you to walk in there where I'd just set up flame after fire after explosion.  Soooo here's a suggestion before we start the war, right here, right now, ground zero."  The Ranger stamps her boot playfully and pointedly on the forest floor where they both stand -- Arden and Arcadia stupidly locked in a contest of pride.
            "I take your stupid horsies and your wounded whatevers -- and *yes* I treat them nicely -- to a neutral corner.  You stay light, stay fast, and *don't* get involved in anything else -- no negotiations, no carrying word to Mommy, no divine duties --  and find Breeze and any others of Arden that might have been pulled out of her.  Maybe take one of the guys with you?"  She gestures to the Rangers around them.  "You bring my friends to said neutral corner in say, 3 days?, so I can assure myself of their freedom."
            "And then we decide if we still want to punch each other's lights out or not."  She grins.  "Whaddaya say?"

"I have no desire to fight you, Robin. If I had we would not be talking now."

The girl shrugs one shoulder sympathetically.  She can certainly understand that position.

Adonis looks all around, including up into the air and the trees as if searching for something. His expression is serious, determined but otherwise unreadable as he continues the conversation.
            "I confess I find your idiom near incomprehensible but if I understand you correctly: I am not to inform Mater that her mother has entered the field against both Arcadia and Arden; neither am I to advise her of her sisters' desire for peace. And in return you will take the wounded and care for them while I collect your renegades? Mmm!"

Robin blinks a little in surprise.  Interesting take, but well yeah.  That *is* what she asked.  Though an odd little smile dances across her face at the thought of Adonis meeting her 'renegades.'  Might do the guy some good.
            "You can send messages to Mommy if you want."  Robin allows.  "I ain't trying to throw some big conspiracy down on you."  A wince crosses Robin face.  Yep, she's upset.  She's *alll* idiomanic.  Luckily she hasn't reached squawking and chirping phase yet.  "Just please don't tarry."  Better -- actual Thari.

He muses, obviously working out if this constitutes something he can work with. Then he shrugs, perhaps it's the best he can expect from this unreasonable wench. At least it keeps her out of Arcadia.
            He sighs resignedly. "Very well! If it is the only way to be rid of you and assure the care of the injured, how can I refuse? But if I am to 'stay light' and 'stay fast', I cannot be hampered by your 'guys', all of whom I suspect you may need, wherever you go. We will meet at the third dusk from now at this spot - alas I do not know Arden as well as you and I know of no 'neutral' corners, so we must make the best of the situation. I promise I will bring at least one of your rangers with me. I cannot guarantee more but I take it at least one is the excuse for this charade."

Robin laughs, thinking of games other than charades that this bears more resemblance to.  "Works for me.  The trail of the guys my man went with is that way."  She nods to where Avid signaled from.
            And with a sigh, tries to become a little less manic.  "Thank you, Adonis."  She says clearly, carefully and sincerely.

Adonis, with equal sincerity and care, does not respond.

Adonis pays a fond farewell to each horse, singing gently into the ear, before turning and walking directly into the woods. He vanishes almost immediately and without a sound.

"Dung," the girl curses under her breath as she watches her brother walk away with a sad shake of her head.  Then looks back to her team with a rueful chuckle.  "Guy definitely brings out the best in me."  An ironic smile pulls at one corner of her mouth.
            "K.  Let's get these boys out of here as fast as we can without bunging 'em up irreparably.  Rain, Levet, Avid?  Think you can handle two each?  Totter, overwatch."
            Robin approaches the horses with a smile.  "Heeeey, ladies."  Friendly voice, happy eyes, playful girl.  "What say we take a brisk walk away from all this unpleasantess?"  She chuckles warmly.  With her good arm, Robin pats and rubs the horses' necks and noses.
            Tying the reigns of the last horse safely around the pommel of its saddle, Robin whickers a little come-along and starts trotting Arden-ward.  [Cause frankly Leslie doesn't know if Arden is on *this* side of the chasm or the other. :) ]